Chagas disease is one of the most important vector-borne diseases in Latin America. Triatoma picturata (Usinger), distributed in western Mexico, is one of the most important vectors of Trypanosoma cruzi Chagas. Knowing the type and materials used for building homes could lead to improved methods for controlling triatomines by focusing efforts on controlling every species of triatomine in its specific microhabitat. Houses in three studied localities of western Mexico that harbored T. picturata were characterized, as well as two entomological indices. Infestation Index values varied from 10.8% to 51.9% in the three localities, whereas Natural Infection Index values varied from 18.1% to 35.2%. Characteristics of houses invaded by T. picturata also varied. In Juan Gil Preciado, with the highest Entomological Index values, most houses were built of adobe walls with a roof of clay tiles and a dirt floor, and included the presence of domestic animals. Our data indicate that the potential risk of infection with T. cruzi differs markedly for inhabitants of the three studied localities, which demonstrates the importance of studying local populations of triatomines. Our study should contribute to decision-making regarding triatomine control efforts by providing profiles of houses that are more susceptible to triatomine invasion.

The effects of three larval diets (beef meat, chicken meat, and beef liver) on development of Lucilia cuprina (Wiedemann) were evaluated. Egg hatching rates were higher on chicken meat and beef meat (99.5%) than on beef liver (96.5%). Pupation success was higher on chicken meat (99.0%) and beef meat (98.0%) than on beef liver (87.1%). Adult emergence rates were higher in flies reared on chicken meat (99.0%) and beef meat (98.5%) than on beef liver (93.5%). Proportions of female flies were somewhat higher in flies reared on chicken meat or beef meat (54-56% female) than on beef liver (52.5%). Flies that were reared on chicken meat and beef meat had shorter egg-adult development times (16.3 days) than flies reared on beef liver (18.5 days), and the generation time of flies reared on chicken meat or beef meat (51-52 days) was several days shorter than flies reared on beef liver (54 days). Flies reared on chicken meat had larger ovaries and more ovarioles per ovary when larvae were reared on chicken than flies reared on beef meat or beef liver. The ovaries of flies reared on chicken meat had significantly higher amounts of protein (21 mg/g body weight) than flies reared on beef liver (12 mg). Analysis of the larval diets showed that beef liver had the lowest amounts of protein and carbohydrate of the three tested diets, whereas the amounts of lipids did not differ among the diets.

Controlling mosquito-borne disease is a major global challenge due to the rise of insecticide-resistant mosquitoes. In response, we conducted a study in Chiang Mai Province, Thailand, which is one of the largest and the most popular cities for tourists in Southeast Asia, to explore the potential of local species as biological control agents for mosquito larvae. Mosquito larvae and aquatic predators were sampled from large and small habitats, while relevant physico-chemical parameters were measured. The study identified 560 predators and 1,572 mosquitoes, with most mosquito species belonging to the genus Culex. Additionally, the study identified 16 predator taxa, including four fish taxa and 12 taxa of predatory aquatic insects belonging to four orders: Coleoptera, Hemiptera, Odonata, and Diptera. The study found that several locally occurring predator species, namely Poecillia, Laccophilus, Lutzia, Toxorhynchites splendens, Agrionoptera, and Pseudarion, shared habitats with mosquitoes, indicating their potential as effective biological control agents for mosquito control. Conductivity, dissolved oxygen, and pH were the important physico-chemical parameters that affect both predators and mosquito larvae. Consequently, promoting native predators and reducing mosquito larvae through habitat management would be a sustainable and ecologically friendly approach in large habitats where it is not possible to remove mosquito oviposition sites. In smaller habitats, releasing local aquatic predators and removing oviposition sites may be a suitable strategy.

White-footed mouse (Peromyscus leucopus) populations can thrive in fragmented suburban and urban parks and residential spaces and play a pivotal role in the spread and prevalence of tick-borne diseases. We collected spatial data on 58 individual mice living at the intersection of county park land and residential land in suburban Howard County, MD, U.S.A. We analyzed mouse density, home-range size and overlap, and a Bayesian mixed-effects model to identify the habitats where they were found relative to where they were caught, as well as a resource selection function for general habitat use. We found that as mouse density increased, home-range size decreased. The overlap indices and the resource selection function supported territoriality coupled with site-specific space use in these suburban mouse populations. While mice occurred in open areas, forest edge, and forest, they showed a strong preference for forested areas. Interestingly, mice captured only 30 to 40 m into the forest rarely used the nearby private yards or human structures and this has direct implications for the placement of rodent-targeted tick control treatments. Our study supports the need for zoonotic disease management frameworks that are based on site-specific land cover characteristics as well as specific management objectives.

Lyme disease is the most prevalent vector-borne disease in the U.S., and acaricidal feeds administered to white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) have potential to disrupt blood feeding by the blacklegged tick, Ixodes scapularis. Two studies were conducted with the aim of determining an ideal formulation to deliver oral acaricides to white-tailed deer and finding the lowest fipronil dose level to effectively control I. scapularis. During formulation screening, various commercial attractants (baits) were presented to deer in large paddocks under semi-field conditions and motion-sensitive cameras were used to monitor consumption by deer and non-target species. During dose range-finding, deer were housed individually and presented a fipronil feed at one of five dose levels for 48 h (two deer untreated). At 24 h post-exposure, the deer were anesthetized, blood was drawn, and deer were manually infested with 20 I. scapularis mating pairs in feeding capsules. Tick mortality was monitored up to nine days post-attachment. Results of formulation screening indicated that loose/granular formulations were substantially more palatable to deer, relative to block formulations, and would be more effective under field conditions. Dose range-finding concluded fipronil feeds with doses of 25 ppm and higher would eliminate 100% of I. scapularis parasitizing deer. Additionally, 10 ppm fipronil feed controlled a considerable proportion of ticks, and results suggested 100% ticks could be eliminated if fipronil sulfone was present in plasma at ≥25.1 ppb. These results were paramount in developing a low dose fipronil deer feed for tick control and should provide valuable insights prior to execution of future field trials.

For the sibling mosquito species Aedes triseriatus Say and Ae. hendersoni Cockerell, success of offspring is highly dependent on oviposition site selection by gravid females, and the dynamics of that selection process have been the subject of much investigation. Patterns of vertical oviposition stratification were examined in this study by placing basal and canopy level oviposition traps in relatively steep and flat terrains, as well as in flood-prone riverbank vs upland settings. Strong stratification existed in both steep and flat terrains, with Ae. triseriatus favoring basal ovitraps and Ae. hendersoni favoring canopy ovitraps. Contrary to expectations, Ae. hendersoni displayed even more marked preference for canopy ovitraps in steeper terrain. Both species avoided basal ovitraps in flood-prone locations, where Ae. triseriatus oviposited only in canopy ovitraps and greatly outnumbered Ae. hendersoni in canopy ovitraps. In contrast, the expected stratification was found in nearby upland habitats.

Triatominae are associated with various Brazilian habitats, including bird nests, animal burrows, and peridomestic structures. Despite extensive studies on triatomines in domiciliary environments in Ceará, Brazil, there has been limited research on their presence in the wild. This study focuses on the municipality of Morrinhos in Ceará, which is characterized by a Caatinga biome and riparian forests along the Acaraú River. During the study, a total of 185 nests of Pseudoseisura cristata were analyzed in rural locations and triatomines were collected in 26 nests from 12 different locations. A total of 117 triatomines was collected, belonging to three species: Psammolestes tertius, Rhodnius nasutus, and Triatoma pseudomaculata. Rhodnius nasutus was the only species found in a nest inhabited by Didelphis albiventris. Nests of P. cristata serve as shelters for various animals, providing an ideal environment for triatomines to establish colonies due to their proximity to food sources and their generalist feeding habits. The incorporation of anthropogenic materials by birds in nest construction can indirectly affect the presence of other animals that may serve as food sources for triatomines. Understanding the interactions between triatomines, birds, and their habitats is essential for assessing the risks associated with triatomine infestation in wild ecosystems.